Labour's John Mann urges allies to 'take the war to the antisemities' in defiant speech

Labour's John Mann has spoken of the need to "take the war to the antisemites" in a defiant speech delivered to over one thousand guests at the annual Community Security Trust (CST) dinner.

With his voice often trembling as he spoke, the MP for Bassetlaw, who is chair of the All Party-Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism, told of the deep links between his own family, going back generations and the Jewish community in Leeds.

Holding up a red rose, Mr Mann said: "That is the real Labour Party. Not the hammer and the sickle - this red rose is the real emblem."

He handed out four roses to Jewish MPs Dame Margaret Hodge, Dame Louise Ellman, Ruth Smeeth and Luciana Berger, who quit the party last week, calling it "institutionally antisemitic".

He then added: "I say to you Luciana, you have left the Labour Party, but you have not left us, and we will never ever leave you."

Praising CST's work, he added: "Our job as MPs is to stand in front of you when they are throwing the stones of hatred, of bitterness, the bile. This our duty."

He continued: "Let me be quite clear to all of you...

"You have no idea how lucky you are to have the CST. You really need to understand how significant this organisation is."

Mr Mann then attacked Labour's "unwillingness to act" on Jew-hate, adding he had a "burning anger" about the matter.

He said: "My grandparents were in the Labour Party. My great-grandparents formed the Labour Party with Jewish workers in Leeds in 1906.

"And at every stage... they stood alongside the Jewish community., defended the Jewish community.

"And when my family was in trouble, when my family was thrown out of work for forming the Labour Party in Leeds, the Jewish community, the Jewish workers, the Jewish Labour Movement - they stood alongside my family.

"Thats the history of the Labour Party... that's what's at stake here.

"And we are not going to give in. And we are not going to hand over to these antisemities and those that stand by and encourage them and are silent."

Mr Mann then praised the staff who worked for the MPs targeted by the antisemites and the families of parliamentarians who were caught up.

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